The Work Thing
by rennieMc
Summary: Kind of a follow on from House Call. Cuddy returns to work and gets a proposition from House. Just a fun writing exercise, hope it's relatively in character :
1. Chapter 1

**The Work Thing**

Cuddy took the files from the front seat of her car and made her way towards the entrance of Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital. Her other baby. The baby she hadn't seen for a little over 3 weeks due to being laid up at her home recovering from her hernia surgery. She wondered, or rather fretted, about any changes which may have taken place in her absence. Even minor changes like moving chairs around or different filing systems would be enough to throw her off balance. On entering the hospital however she sighed with relief, it all seemed much the same. She glanced towards the nurses' station and noticed Nurse Brenda talking to her most valued and easily most annoying member of staff. Well, not really talking to more being snarked at by Dr House. Watching Brenda's facial expressions and body language changing from mildly bemused to full blown irritation, Cuddy rolled her eyes and headed towards them.

"Don't you have your own staff to bug the hell out of?" Cuddy asked him as she stood by the nurse's station, nodding towards Nurse Brenda pleasantly and apologetically.

He looked at her a little confused, but his blue eyes sparkled with excitement at seeing her back in the hospital lobby,

"Thought you weren't back til Monday?"

"Nice to see you too" she replied, signing in and heading off towards her office with her files. Predictably, House followed close behind her.

"Couldn't stay away huh? I don't blame you. My general awesomeness is enough to drag any woman to my mere presence"

"Exactly" she replied, sarcastically. "I just can't get enough." She rummaged through her drawers, pleased to find her belongings still in place and proceeded to file the stack of papers she had been working on from home.

"I'm only back for a few hours this afternoon, my official return isn't till Monday. So don't get too excited."

He scoffed "Excited? I have a life you know? You think I've been hanging around here, moping?"

"Me thinks the doctor doth protest too much" She replied with a grin. He smirked at her, mockingly, trying to not show that he _had _actually missed her. She turned away from him momentarily and bent over her desk a little to reach her pile of unopened mail. House tilted his head and glanced at her ass appreciatively. He couldn't resist. And if she didn't expect him look to she wouldn't be wearing those tight black jeans, he justified to himself. "Nice" he heard himself say out loud.

"What?" She turned back to him, distracted while reading her letters. He shook his head in attempt to think straight, "Nothing" he replied innocently.

"So are you just gonna gawp at my ass all day or are you gonna do your work?"

They exchanged a knowing smile. "Well the first option is much more appealing"

She rolled her eyes. "Just throw these in the trash on your way out" she told him, dismissively.

"What am I? Your bitch?"

She chuckled and replied "If the sneaker fits"

He pulled a face at her, took her unwanted mail and headed towards the door. He noticed one of the letters in a fancy gold plated envelope and opened it up.

"_Dr Lisa Cuddy, you are invited to Dr George Riley's annual black tie conference for Critical Hospital Initiatives at The Central Princeton Hotel, Maclaren Dinner Hall on Friday 26th November 2009"_

After reading the inscription, he turned to Cuddy. "You're not going to this thing?"

Cuddy looked up from her reading and shrugged. "Um I don't know. I doubt it. I've been to those things before. It's a long night when you're flying solo."

"So take someone"

She laughed a little. "Right. Like who? You wanna go with me?" She asked this sarcastically, continuing with her reading. House frowned and looked to the ceiling thoughtfully before shrugging nonchalantly. "Sure. Meet you at 8"

He went to make his exit and she looked up quickly, puzzled by his answer. "Whoa, wait! You're...you're kidding me right?"

"Why would I be?"

"Well because it's a work thing. Why would you even be interested in that?"

"There'll be an open bar right?"

"I guess" She replied with a shrug

"And you'll be wearing something...fun?" He smiled at her and she rolled her eyes at him, shaking her head.

"You wanna go so you can drink and look down my top all night" She told him bluntly.

House looked at her faux innocently, in a 'who me?' kind of way. "Of course not" he said exasperated before stating "I could do that any time. And _believe_ me, I do" He waggled his eyebrows at her mischievously.

She sighed, trying not to give him the satisfaction of smiling. "Yeah well, that's not good enough for me. Think I'll pass"

"Don't you trust me?"

"In public? With other human beings who don't get you? No I don't"

He mulled this over "Little unfair don't you think?"

Cuddy looked at him, her eyes wide with amusement "A little unfair?" She asked him with a laugh "You're telling me you wouldn't go out of your way to embarrass me all night?"

"Have some faith in me Cuddy" He looked at her sweetly, his blue eyes locking with hers.

"Give me one reason why I should go with you," she requested, feeling herself weakening a little under his gaze.

"I'll give you two" he replied, confidently "Firstly, I'm the best doctor you have and you know it, so you can pimp me out to donors if you want. Secondly, I can _work _a tux." He grinned at her smugly. "You're thinking about it aren't you?"

Cuddy exhaled, frustrated by her weakness and out of practice in House style negotiation. She paused thoughtfully. "If I say yes..." She noticed his face lighting up "_If" s_he repeated with emphasis "You have to promise you'll be on your best behaviour. And by that I mean a regular person's best behaviour"

"You have my word" he replied pleased with himself, going to make his exit.

"I mean it, House" she told him sternly. "You even _think_ about stepping out of line, I'll not only increase your clinic hours I'll move your office _to_ the clinic and you can share the space with the nurses"

"Cuddy, you're such a bad ass" he said accusingly before smiling at her "I like that. So 8 o'clock?"

"Fine" she replied "And I mean it House"

"Good. I like a woman with a firm hand" He winked at her suggestively and made his exit.

Cuddy closed her eyes, leaning her head against the back of her chair. "What am I letting myself in for?" she thought to herself, hoping he could restrain his natural House instincts just for one night...


	2. Chapter 2

_So I'm thinking this is part 2 of 2. I started running out of stuff half way through. But if I get some inspiration I'll do some sort of sequel ;-)_

**The Work Thing- Part 2**

"My patient's kind of dying. We may need to rearrange" House informed Cuddy over the phone as she continued putting on her make up in preparation for the black tie conference they were attending that evening.

"Is that the new 'I'm washing my hair' excuse" Cuddy asked.

"No. Don't cry. I'm not ditching you" House replied snarkily

Cuddy rolled her eyes and smiled to herself "I'm not crying, Conceited"

"I need to go to the hospital first and see my team. Is that cool?"

"Sure" she replied, a little confused by the fluttering she felt in her in her stomach as she spoke to him "I'll pick you up there from there instead"

"OK. So, you ready yet?" House asked her with a playful leer tone in his voice.

"Almost"

"Almost huh? What does that mean? You're negotiating underwear? Cos I'm knowledgeable in that area if you want some advice"

"I'm hanging up now"

"I'm only trying to help, Cuddy"

"You have one hour" she informed him "And you better not be wearing sneakers"

"I think you'll be suitably impressed" he told her confidently

"Better be" she warned him with a smile before hanging up the phone.

A little while later House entered his office, dressed in his tux, his fanciest cane in tow. The rest of his team did a double take when they saw him, staring at him in fascination.

"Wow" Thirteen said in surprise. "You're all dressed up"

"Oh you're straight this week? Keep your panties on Bi-Girl, this isn't for your benefit" he told her, as Thirteen grimaced at him in response.

"He's right." Foreman informed Thirteen, knowingly. "The date with Cuddy is tonight, right?"

"It's not a date. It's a work thing" House stated defensively. The rest of the team looked at each other, amused at his deflection which didn't go unnoticed by House. "Just tell me about the patient" he demanded, hastily changing the subject.

As the team went through the patient's ever growing list of symptoms, Cuddy made her way to House's office, unsure whether the nerves she was feeling was due to excitement or anxiety. She was dressed to kill in a v-neck red dress that clung to her top half and dropped to her knees loosely from the waist, along with 4 inch high stilettos, her dark curly hair styled in to a into smooth waves. She stood at the entrance of House's office, suddenly conscious of the four pairs of eyes that were now looking in her direction.

"Hey, you ready?" she asked House, biting her bottom lip nervously.

House looked her up and down and found his mouth had suddenly gone dry, his usual snarky wit stopped in its tracks at the sight of her. "Um always" he managed to say, standing up and walking towards her. He glanced back at his team and noticed Thirteen's eyes staring in admiration of Cuddy.

"Close your mouth Thirteen" he told her drily "The dumb goldfish look is out"

Both of the women glared at House, annoyed, before Cuddy turned to the team. "So, you guys not done with your patient yet?" she asked them, concerned.

"No, they just can't get enough of me" House replied sarcastically "They're total House junkies"

Cuddy turned back to House, dismissing his little comment, "You got your cell and your pager on you, in case your needed?"

House rolled his eyes, "Yes Mommy, now can we get this show on the road?" he replied, motioning for her to leave.

They walked down the hall together towards the elevator, when Cuddy turned to him. "OK, let's get it out of the way" she told him with a sigh. He looked at her confused. "Just make your jokes about my ass or my cleavage now so the urge doesn't occur in public"

"Well I was actually gonna say you look pretty good, but if that makes you uneasy I can think of something. Turn around, might give me some inspiration." He was being deflective and not strictly accurate about her appearance. He wanted to tell her how gorgeous she looked, that having to be around her all night and not be able to touch her, have to share her with strangers was all kinds of torture. But being House, he reverted back to his comfort zone. Cuddy smiled at him "It's fine" she told him in response to his comment "Good's good. I can...I can live with good"

House gestured innocently towards himself "And I look good too right?" he asked her. She smiled and confirmed "Yes. I'm suitably impressed." House smiled back, "Told you"

They arrived at the event around 20 minutes later. On entry to the hotel, House walked behind Cuddy feeling all eyes boring into them. Or her, if he was being honest. He felt himself becoming possessive of her as he sensed every male they walked past glancing at her appreciatively, trying to get her attention. Cuddy didn't seem to be all that aware of it, as she walked confidently towards the bar. Cuddy turned to House when she got there and looked at him worriedly when she saw the look of discomfort on his face, his limp seemed to be a little more pronounced then usual.

"What's wrong?" she asked him, concerned.

He looked at her in mock confusion "Oh this?" he asked her, gesturing towards his leg "Well turns out- two thighs, one muscle. I get a little twinge occasionally"

"OK, Sarcasmo, I get it" she replied, trying hard to not smile. "Actually that reminds me" Cuddy started looking through her bag, scribbling down something on a piece of paper and handing it to him.

"Ah Cuddy, we're grown ups. You don't need to write me little notes. If you wanna meet me under the bleachers just say so "

"Its the number for a masseuse" she told him, seeing his mouth form in to a smirk, his eyes sparkling with interest. "I hear he's really good" she continued.

House looked at her bemused "He's a_ he_?!Where's the fun in that?"

Cuddy's eyes widened in amusement "I'm not a _pimp_, House. This isn't a sexual thing, it's medicinal"

House smiled at her, and asked her with gentle flirtation "Why don't we just cut out the middle man and you rub my leg?"

She returned his smile "Nice try." She glanced around, suddenly noticing one of the male guests staring over at them and dread filled her. She looked at House accusingly. "Did you say something to Dr. Willis?" Cuddy nodded in the direction of the man staring at her from across the room. "He's keeps looking over. I thought you said you'd be good"

House looked over at Willis and then back to Cuddy. "He probably likes what he sees." Cuddy narrowed her eyebrows, confused. "You mean, me?" House rolled his eyes "No, me" he replied sarcastically "Of course, _you. _I know it'sbeen a while for you Cuddy but surely you remember something about men and their general shallowness"

Cuddy thought this over and smiled "Well, then I guess my child has good taste. She liked this dress the best" she confirmed after seeing House looking at her curiously. He paused before admitting "Well I guess they're useful for something. Tell her I approve of her choice"

Much to their annoyance, they were interrupted by Dr. Willis' presence.

"Dr Cuddy!" Willis exclaimed in mock surprise leaning into kiss her cheek "Nice to see you again"

"I bet" House muttered jealously, noticing Willis's arm still snaked around Cuddy's waist.

"Dr House" Willis said turning towards him "Should have noticed the trademark limp"

"As opposed to the trademark lechery" House replied, snarkily. When he saw Willis look at him confused House continued, gesturing towards Cuddy, "You like this with all the women in the room or just the pretty ones?"

Cuddy looked at House, silently pleading with him to not get in to a fight with a stranger, although she was secretly flattered by his comments and his apparent protectiveness of her. Willis had obviously taken the hint and backed off a little but wasn't going to be talked down to by House.

"So I heard about your little trip to Mayfield" Willis said smugly, condescendingly "Must have been a rough time"

Cuddy could sense House getting more irritated and prepared herself for the backlash. House could feel the anger rising inside of him but he looked at Cuddy and remembered he had promised to behave himself, and if he wanted to stay on her good side he had to restrain himself.

"It was great" House replied calmly "You should go in spring, it's beautiful then"

The two men glared at each other before Willis turned back to Cuddy telling her "There are some people I'd like you to meet"

"OK" she went to follow him, reluctantly before turning back to House "I'll be back in a little while"

He watched her walk away before his thoughts were interrupted by the waitress behind the bar "Your gonna let your girlfriend go off with that schmuck?" she asked House curiously, having watched them interact with each other, fascinated by the tension between them.

House smiled before replying "I appreciate the schmuck comment. But she's not my girlfriend, it's a work thing"

The waitress looked surprised, "Could have fooled me" she told him before carrying on with her work.

Some time had passed since Cuddy had gone off with Willis. House had watched her from the bar between phone calls to and from his team as they updated him on their patient. The waitress, between her serving duties, had watched both House and Cuddy making furtive glances towards each other when they thought the other wasn't looking. House looking lovingly in Cuddy's direction, seemingly missing her company. He could sense the waitress behind the bar looking at him, "Look, I know I'm hot but there's no need to stop and stare" he told her.

The waitress smiled and glanced in Cuddy's direction. "Does she know?" she asked House, as his gaze was fixed on Cuddy. He looked at the waitress curiously before she clarified "That you love her?"

"Don't know what your talking about" House replied defensively, suddenly feeling uncomfortably exposed.

"You've been watching her all night" she told him observantly.

"Maybe I'm just checking out her ass."

"I said watching, not leering"

House turned back to the bar, pushing his empty glass towards the waitress "I don't need your pop psychology, sweetheart. Just fill 'er up" he told her indicating towards the glass. The waitress smiled a little and took the glass starting to pour House a new drink. She was used to dealing with customers ruder than House.

"Sorry" she said meekly, "It gets boring round here. I've got no choice but to people watch"

"And bug strangers about their personal lives" House accused.

The waitress shrugged "Apparently"

House thought about this and admitted "Yeah I can relate to that." He turned back towards Cuddy, watching as she laughed and made polite small talk with the other doctors who were gathered around her, thinking about how beautiful she looked and, noticing his cane hanging off the bar, how out of his league she was.

"You should tell her" the waitress told House, handing him his drink "Girls like to hear that stuff"

House looked at her quizzically "Are you Wilson in disguise?" he asked her, a mock frown on his face. The waitress looked confused, "Who?"

"Never mind"

At that point he felt a hand on his shoulder, "Hey, you wanna grab a seat?" Cuddy asked him gently. His eyes lit up when he saw her. "Starting to think you'd ditched me" he told her.

She grinned at him "Never" Cuddy noticed the waitress smiling at the two of them. "Oh don't look at me like that Goofy" she heard House tell the waitress as he stood up and walked towards the main floor beside Cuddy.

"You causing trouble?" Cuddy asked playfully, nodding back towards the waitress.

"Cuddy, I'm hurt at this defamation of character" he replied, holding his hand to his heart mockingly.

They sat down together at the table, with yet more doctors to interrupt them. He just wanted her to himself for a little while. Since he couldn't do small talk he decided to keep quiet and distract himself with other thoughts, particularly if Cuddy was thinking the same way he was, about wanting to be alone together. He could sense the other guests at the table giving him second, worried glances, guessing that his little spell in Mayfield was apparently still top of the gossip agenda. It was getting increasingly difficult to keep himself quiet and just as he was ready to snap, he felt Cuddy's hand brush his protectively, giving it a light squeeze. It took all of his will power not to clasp her hand with his and not let it go. A few minutes later Dr. Riley, the host of the event, stepped up to the podium on the main floor in preparation for his speech on Critical Hospital Initiatives. Cuddy found her concentration waning after the first fifteen minutes of Riley's speech. Her mind drifted between wondering if Rachel was OK back home and hoping that the speech didn't culminate in a Question and Answer session, giving House ammunition to be inappropriate. She glanced over at House and smiled. He was trying so hard to be good and that touched her. He had taken off his jacket, loosened his tie and rolled up his sleeves revealing his strong forearms while his hand absent-mindedly rubbed his thigh. Cuddy found the image of him doing this strangely erotic...What am I thinking? She thought herself, trying her hardest to focus on Riley's speech.

"This guy's a self important ass" House whispered in her ear, causing the hair on the back of her neck to stand, goosebumps rising on her arms. She cursed her body for betraying her

"He _is _important, House" she managed to inform him, quietly.

"He's dull too"

"Yeah well it's his event, he can be dull if he wants"

House grinned at her "So you're bored too huh?"

"I didn't say that"

"I saw you stifling a yawn earlier, you can't hide from me"

Cuddy felt like she was back in college, sitting beside House as he made little remarks in her ear about their fellow classmates, writing her little notes to get a reaction out of her. Back then she was a naïve, eager to please student and unfortunately for her younger self, there had been no prep class in all things House related. Still though, 20 years later, she didn't think he'd still have this effect on her body and her mind.

"You think you know me so well" she told him, looking into his eyes.

There was a pause before he replied "Well I know those sexy shoes you're wearing are killing you"

"And how would you know that?"

"You smile too much when you're walking in them. People who smile that much have either just got some, or they're over compensating as a distraction for the fact they're clearly putting they're size 8's into size 6 shoes"

She rolled her eyes and smiled, "I'm a 6 and just cos you're right about my sore feet doesn't mean you know me"

"So let me know you" he said suddenly. They were interrupted by applause filling the room at the end of Riley's speech. After the applause died down , she could sense his discomfort and turned back to him. "So, you like my shoes huh?" she asked him playfully.

"On you I do"

"Dr House, are you flirting with me?"

"Does that bother you?" He watched as she smiled broadly at him and he leaned in to her, wanting to be straight with her for once. He looked at her with a serious expression on his face. "Cuddy, I wanted-" His phone started to ring and they both sighed, trying to not show their mutual irritation in yet another distraction. House answered his cell reluctantly. After a couple of minutes, he hung up.

"That was my team. I have to get back. My patient's stroking out"

"OK, well I'll drop you off. At least I'll be back home before midnight"

"Why what's happening at midnight, Cinders?"

"I told my babysitter I'd be back by 12. Come on. Let's go"

They both headed towards the door, bumping into Willis on the way.

"Dr Cuddy, you're leaving? I was gonna get you a drink"

House prepared his 'it's fine, you stay' speech in his head, expecting Cuddy to be swayed by this Willis guy. He was pleasantly surprised to hear her say: "Um no thanks. I'm going home with House"

Willis looked startled to hear this, but managed to say goodnight, leaving them to make their exit.

"You're not gonna correct yourself? He's gonna think-"

"Since when do you care about what other people think?" she retorted

He smiled "Good point"

They arrived back at the hospital and Cuddy pulled up at the front entrance. She turned to him.

"Well thank you for behaving yourself tonight. I appreciate it"

"So you should" House replied "You know what a pain in the ass it is being around that many boring idiots?...I'm not including you in that though"

"Glad to hear it"

They stared at each other awkwardly, longingly before House decided to break the silence.

"So I better..." He motioned towards the door.

"Right. And House if you ever need to talk then..."

"Then I know where you are...well, duty calls"

He moved closer to her, and thinking he was leaning in, she instinctively responded brushing her lips against his. She didn't feel him responding to her and mortified she suddenly realised his coat and cane where on the back seat.

"Um I was reaching for my stuff" he said softly, confirming her thoughts

"Right" she murmured embarrassed "Sorry, I thought..."

"Shut up for a second" he told her, leaning in and capturing her lips with his, kissing her tenderly at first before deepening the kiss, moans and gasps escaping their lips as they gave into each other. They fumbled with her seat belt between broken kisses trying to get closer, their hands exploring one another, hers stroking his cheek before moving to his chest opening a few more buttons of his shirt. She gasped as she felt his hand under her dress, stroking her thigh. His lips travelled along her jawbone to her neck, leaving sexy, open mouth kisses on her skin. He smiled as he listened to her pants and sighs. Suddenly, his pager vibrated in his pocket and they were brought back to reality. At least she was; House chose to ignore it, continuing to stroke her skin and plant kisses on her.

"House, your team need you" she sighed.

"They can look after themselves" he murmured against her neck, tickling her with his stubbed jaw.

"And I'm not gonna go beyond second base with you on the front seat of my car?" she giggled pushing him away from her

"Back seat?" he asked hopefully. She shook her head and he rolled his eyes "Fine. You're the boss I guess. Even if you are a tease." House leaned his head against the back of the seat and closed his eyes.

"Are you OK?" she asked, stroking his knee.

"I'll be fine" He placed his coat over his lap. "Just waiting for the blood to flow back to less embarrassing places"

She smiled at him, her lips still tingling, her body already missing the closeness of him.

"So you_ are _back Monday, right?" he asked, almost like a plea.

"Yes. And I _am_ still your boss, so don't be getting any funny ideas"

"Cuddy, you have such a low opinion of me. He smiled at her mischievously "Well goodnight, boss"

"Goodnight" House picked up her hand and kissed it lightly before getting out of her car. She watched him limp back towards the building, smiling to herself. Her heart was racing as she drove off. Suddenly returning to work didn't seem to bad after all.


End file.
